Great Gift Ideas for Children who have ADHD

With Christmas soon approaching some of you may be in a panic to find just the right gift for your child who has ADHD. I have compiled a list for you of toys and gadgets which I feel are not only fun but can also help your child to manage the symptoms of their ADHD.

Gifts to Get their Wiggles Out:

If your child is anything like mine he or she needs lots of physical activity to help them get rid of stress and as an outlet for excess energy. But what happens on days that are too cold or it gets dark early, preventing your child from getting outside very much? It is good to have physical activities you can do inside the house. "Such as what?" you ask. Here are some ideas!

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A mini-trampoline: These can be found in most sporting good stores. They come in various sizes and some are small enough for most rooms of the house. They are only a couple of inches off the floor and I can tell you that as hyperactive as my son is, he has never gotten hurt on one of these small trampolines. My son has spent many happy bouncy moments on his trampoline. If you are worried about your child falling off this type of trampoline they also make them with safety bars on the sides.

A Therapy or Exercise Ball: Just like the mini-trampolines, these balls can be found at most sporting goods stores or anywhere that sells exercise equipment. They come in various sizes and usually come with a pump to blow them up. Another place to get a therapy ball is any company which sells sensory integration items such as South Paw Enterprises. We bought a big yellow therapy ball for my son when he was just a toddler and he still uses it as a young teen. The child can sit on it and bounce or roll on their tummy. Some balls such as the ones from companies like SouthPaw have nodules for tactile sensory input and massage. I would recommend using such a ball in a room with lots of space and little furniture.

Play tunnels and Tubes: This is a great gift for the younger tots on your Christmas list. You can find these play tunnels at most toy stores. They are made of parachute material and the child can climb in and out of them. What I like about these tubes and tunnels is that they fold up for easy storage. My son absolutely loved climbing in these when he was younger. We would put several tunnels together making a huge maze through the house much like a hamster habitrail.

Gifts which are Indestructible: One of the issues with finding gifts for my child is finding something my son can't break in a matter of hours or sometimes minutes. I have found a couple of gadgets which are worth every penny because they are kid resistant.

The Fisher- Price Kid-Tough DVD Player: They come in blue or pink and I must say that they are tough. We made the mistake of buying a regular portable DVD player for a long car trip for my son and it was broken with one drop to the floor. But this DVD player has lasted almost two years now and is still going strong. If it gets bumped, dropped, or even thrown, it is much more likely to last. You can find these at most toy stores. We bought ours at Toys R Us.

The Fisher-Price New Kid -Tough Digital Camera: Were you wanting to get your child a digital camera but were afraid that they would break it right away? This is another gadget made by Fisher Price that can stand to take bumps and drops without damage. This digital camera can also be found in most toy stores.

Stocking stuffers for Kids who Fidget: Some kids simply need to have something to occupy their excessive need to fidget when they become restless. Some sensory toys can meet this need and also help to calm your child when he or she is feeling stressed.

A good old slinky that most everyone has played with as a kid can provide lots of stimulation to a restless child.

Tangle with Texture. This toy is made of differently textured interconnected plastic pieces which the child can move. This is definitely a fun toy for fidgeters.

I hope this list was helpful in coming up with some last minute ideas of what to buy for your child with ADHD. I also want to take this time to wish you all a very happy holiday and a fabulous New Year. We thank you for being a very valued member of ADHD Central. Please don't hesitate to share your stories, ideas, and questions with us.